This invention relates to a repair device for repairing a broken wire or the like and, more particularly, to a repair device for fastening ends of a broken wire strand together.
My U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,656, the disclosure of which is incorporated into the present specification, discloses a repair device for stranded wire fence. The device includes a pair of similar elongated bodies defining hooks at each end and a wire nut between the end hook portions. The wire nut is placed on a linear portion of each body before forming the hook ends so that the repair device may not be non-destructively disassembled. To repair a broken fence wire with the conventional device, a loop is formed in a left end of the wire to be repaired and the outer hook of one end portion of the device is inserted through the loop. The associated wire nut is then manually moved over the interconnection of the wire loop until sliding motion of the wire nut is resisted. The wire nut is then manually turned so that threads of the nut engage portions of the loop and hook and the nut is tightened so that the looped wire is fastened securely within the wire nut and the nut covers the opened portion of the wire hook. The other end of the broken wire is similarly fastened to the second body of the device.
The conventional device is effective for particular applications, however, since the nuts are applied to the bodies prior to forming the hooks, a pre-assembly step must be performed, which increases the cost of the device. Further, if a repair device is required that is longer than the two interconnected body portions, several body portions are typically joined at the hook members to provide a longer structure. However, with the longer structure, the nut fastened to the end of the hook which couples the adjacent body is wasted, since it will not be used to lock the broken wire.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a need exists to provide an improved repair device for broken wire or the like which is inexpensive, and easily adapted to accommodate repairs requiring a device capable of spanning various lengths.